Philips Norelco OneBlade Face + Body Review

Your Favorite Hybrid Trimmer Just Got Upgraded For Manscaping

Body grooming. Manscaping. Label it what you want. The fact is more men are practicing the art of body hair removal and transforming the grooming hobby into a lifestyle choice. But if you’ve ever attempted to trim your body from head to toe, then you know this requires a ton of maintenance and several tools to execute.

Switching between a body trimmer and razor becomes tedious over time, plus it holds us accountable for the sustainability of two devices. Though what if there was one product custom-built to perform both grooming tasks minus the need of any extra machinery? That’s the million-dollar question Philips looks to answer with the Norelco OneBlade Face + Body.

Philips changed the grooming game with the introduction of the original OneBlade – a hybrid facial styler boasting shave and trim capabilities. Besides being an industry darling, it's remained a consumer favorite, ranking high on Amazon’s top seller list of electric shavers. Our first experience with the OneBlade proved to be a surprisingly pleasant one, as we described it as a “promising marriage of shaver and trimmer with the potential to serve as the footprint for your habitual grooming practices moving forward.” That being said, expectations ride even higher for the OneBlade Face + Body.

Hot off the retail shelf, Philips blessed us with our own test unit so we could judge how well this all-in-one body shaver fares against the market’s top manscaping options. So, is the OneBlade Face + Body your new must for facial AND body grooming? Take a look at our initial impressions.

Who It's For

Best For: Men desiring a low-maintenance body-grooming routine

Truth be told, the original OneBlade was a cutting-edge tool that could be operated for manscaping needs. The blade system was designed incredibly well to cut hair without damaging skin and decreased the risk of cuts and inflammation. It just wasn't the most comfortable shave or trim on the body. This is what makes the OneBlade Face + Blade a more appealing option.

Philips advertises its latest creation as the convenient and hygienic alternative to body grooming. In other words, quicker results with less work (and machinery) involved. The OneBlade Face + Body certainly guides men on the right path to hair removal serviceability. This newer version makes all the difference with the skin guard being a generous addition that’s super-gentle on the skin and provides an extra layer of protection when venturing into sensitive areas such as your balls and underarms.

Much of what made us such huge advocates of the first-gen OneBlade remains intact. We can start with its patented trimming technology, which moves the cutter at 200x per second for a fast shave/trim. This combined with its dual-protection system provides great stability with glide coating and rounded tips executing adaptable shaves.

As much emphasis as we're putting on its body grooming virtues, we haven't forgotten the OneBlade Face + Body is also facial shaver and beard styler – a good one that benefits from newer advancements to carry out the complete grooming experience.

Why We Love It

Let's address the elephant in the room. If the OneBlade Face + Body bears any resemblance whatsoever to its predecessor, well, that’s because it is basically the same device – only with additional attachments, few performance upgrades, and a higher price tag. The real question is whether these enhancements justify the retail value. Answer: Yes.

Where most body hair trimmers fail, the OneBlade Face + Body succeeds. You feel much safer wielding this tool around your pits and balls thanks to the skin guard, which is such a clutch addition for comfort and trimming down there. I found the best method to be long downward strokes since the blades on the bottom mow through underarm hair better.

Normally, any body hair trimmer I use results in ingrown hairs and irritation. The OneBlade Face + Body delivers a calmer and smoother finish, though some minor stubble is expected in certain spots. The included body comb is ideal for longer and thicker body hair and sheers through with finesse. You'll find it favorable when attacking arms and legs. Being able to use the One Blade Face + Body as an electric shaver is a bonus too, but you already know that from owning the first OneBlade.

Speaking of which, the biggest issue I had with the original model was the battery life. Philips settled for a NiMH battery that made recharging a nightmare since it took 8 hours to reach 100% vitality. Also, 45 minutes of use didn't seem feasible for moderate groomers. Thankfully, the company addressed these issues and opted for a Li-Ion battery that achieves a full charge in nearly half the time of its older sibling and delivers 60 minutes of constant use.

Amazing skin-guarding protection

Great for sensitive skin

Improved battery life

Innovative blade system and body guard

Quality construction for long-term operation

Wet and dry use

Additional comb attachments for beard styling

Why They Love it

Recently launched, AskMen is one of the few men's lifestyle publications to earn hands-on time with the Philips Norelco OneBlade Face + Body, and the only one to review it as of now. But we’ll be sure to update this section with insight from other industry pros once they've ran their tests.

The Drawbacks

The OneBlade Face + Body does make body hair grooming more practical. At the same time, it still makes it messier. The one flaw with the OneBlade was it sent trimmed hairs flying all over the place. Granted this time around the skin guard and body comb do a better job of confining debris, some of it winds up on the floor either way. In addition, hair does easily get trapped on the blade and guards, so you’ll have to constantly rinse off the device, which can often lead to a hair-filled or clogged sink. I thought maybe using an air can to blow off shavings while holding the device over a trash bag could work better, but no such luck. Rinsing is your only logical choice and it requires high water pressure to wipe the blade off completely.

Relying on the OneBlade Face + Body as a multi-purpose grooming tool does leave you worrying about the blade 's shelf life as well. Obviously, the more you use it to trim face and body hair, the faster the blade dulls. Depending how often you shave/trim, you’ll end up spending the same, if not more money on blade refills as you would for cartridge razors. That can get expensive. But if it’s any consolation, the company offers a $10 coupon in the packaging to be applied towards your first 2-pack of replacement blades.

Where To Buy It

Meet The Competition

Comparing the OneBlade Face + Body to more dynamic body hair trimmers is like pitting cartridge razors against straight razors. You can get the job done with either one, but the higher-end version is bound to earn you sleeker results.

Our go-to selection these past few years has been another one of Philips' flagship devices: the Bodygroom 7100. Controlling the 3D pivoting head is such a pleasure because it perfectly contours around arched spots, leaving no hair behind. The dual-sided blade system adds to its attraction, letting users trim hair safely and not ripping it from skin or causing redness. Then come devices like the Mangroomer Ultimate Pro that presents the flexibility to shave off back hair, along with other hard-to-reach areas.

If you want to know how it performs as an electric shaver, check out our OneBlade review for further commentary. Spoiler: It’s impressive.